FRENCH Spiderman" Alain Robert, who has become famous for illegally climbing buildings across the world, scaled a top Hong Kong hotel today to highlight the fight against global warming.

The 45-year-old urban climber scrambled up the outside of the 46-storey Four Seasons Hotel before being detained by police and security guards when he reached the roof, his spokeswoman said.

He was later released without charge, she said.

Mr Robert wore a T-shirt promoting his website, thesolutionissimple.org, focused on global warming.

"I was climbing to raise awareness about global warming,'' Mr Robert said.

The feat drew onlookers from nearby office buildings, including the neighbouring Two International Finance Centre, Hong Kong's tallest building, which Mr Robert had been expected to climb once he announced his visit.

Mr Robert was in Hong Kong to publicise his book With Bare Hands, which looks at some of his climbing successes, including the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Sydney Opera House and many of the world's tallest skyscrapers.

He has declared his guerilla climbing activity his "philosophy.''

On his climbing website, he boasts that he has made it to the top of 70 buildings and monuments around the world in his 12-year career.

Last year, he was deported from China for illegally conquering its tallest building, only to have Chinese officials invite him back in November to legitimately climb a mountain in the centre of the country as a tourist attraction.

I don't think he was promoting awareness of global warming when he climbed Sydney's Centre Point (or whatever it is called this week) Tower some years back - he climbs for the love of climbing big structures.
The tabloids at the time made me laugh at the time, saying his only equipment was a sling and a 'spring-loaded metal clip' - which I thought was a pretty good definition of a karabiner.

"He had two serious accidents in 1982. Especially a 15-meter fall, head first.
He was rappelling. His rope came undone. Coma (5 days) and multiple fractures : cranium,
nose, wrists, elbows, pelvis and heels. The prognosis was no joke at all : « this guy will
never be able to climb again . » After effects : vertigo, caused by disease affecting the
inner ear. Verdict of the French national health organization : disabled up to 60%."

It appears he climbed near the middle of the building face.
It would be interesting to see how he managed the last floor/s as they don't appear to have the same holds available as the repetitious stuff he did lower down...